…choose hope

I’m going to be straight with you, today’s post was not an easy one to write. I’ve made a point of not sharing who I voted for, but I’m going to assume that most of you can guess.

Today there is denial, depression, despair, and disbelief for many in our country.

As the case has been throughout this whole election, people are angry and afraid, which means it’s more important than ever that we listen to one another—really, truly listen.

We can’t lash out at those who voted differently from us. I have to believe that these election results did not come from a place of hate, but fear. It is easy to fear what we don’t know. So let’s get to know our fellow Americans.

As painful as these results are for many, deepening the divide that was far greater than many of us realized will solve nothing. We do not live in a world of good vs. evil, us vs. them. Battling each other will only make for a stagnant existence. We can only move forward together.

Finally, a note for my fellow ladies. Today sucks. I know it hurts for more than women, but speaking for myself, it feels like the rug was pulled out. Yesterday, we were on the edge of history. Today we’re at least four years away from another shot and the man who will be our next president has a history of insulting women.

So ladies, today, you cry (own those sunglass moments), you scream, you get angry. Tomorrow we move forward to continue to make our country the great nation that it is together.

“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

Lincoln is a good choice to quote today. I am heartened by the right words spoken by President Obama, Secretary Clinton and even Mr. Trump in the aftermath of the election. I hope that our government gets the message of anger at the dysfunction and real change takes place.